ASU student gets probation in frat party explosion

Andrew Kent was booked into the Maricopa County Jail after two girls were severely burned by a bottle of alcohol that was thrown onto a bonfire and exploded. (Source: Tempe Police Department)

TEMPE, AZ (CBS5) -

A 22-year-old Arizona State University student was sentenced to nine months of unsupervised probation for his role in an explosion at a fraternity party more than a year ago that badly burned two women.

Andrew Kent was sentenced by Judge Rosa Mroz on Friday.

Kent had pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of misdemeanor endangerment in Maricopa County Superior Court on May 5.

He originally pleaded not guilty to two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of endangerment in the March 25, 2013, explosion.

Two young women, a then 17-year-old ASU recruit and a then 18-year-old ASU student, were seriously burned by an exploding bottle of liquor that was thrown onto a bonfire at the party, said Mike Pooley of the Tempe Police Department.

The recruit from California suffered serious burns to both of her legs, Pooley said. The other woman was burned from the back of her shoulders to the backs of her legs.

"These are very serious crimes that he committed, and this is something that is going to change the lives of these young ladies forever," Pooley said in March.

Pooley said students helped put out the flames on the ASU student and the recruit after she dropped and rolled on the ground.

Students escorted the recruit from the party near University and Hardy drives down the street to await paramedics, Pooley said. She was taken to Maricopa Medical Center Burn Unit and her parents in California were notified.

The burned student left the party to seek treatment from her father, who is a firefighter, Pooley said.

Pooley said a number of the partygoers were not of legal drinking age.